The happines of a religious state diuided into three bookes. Written in Latin by Fa. Hierome Platus of the Societie of Iesus. And now translated into English.

Of the pleasure, which Religious people take in Prayer. CHAP. VI.

TO the delights, which we haue hitherto spoken of, we may adde the comfort of Prayer and Meditation, which taketh-vp great part of a Religious life. How great the sweetnes of it is, and how properly Religion may be sayd to be the true seate of it,* 1.1 Esay the Prophet wil tel vs, comprizing both in these few words:

The sonnes of the stranger, who adhere to our Lord to worship him, and loue his name, and to be his seruants, euerie one that keepeth the Sabbaoth, least he pollute it, and obserueth my Couenant; I wil bring them to my holie hil, and make them ioyful in the house of my prayer; their Holocausts and their Sacrifices shal please me vpon my Altar, because my house shal be called the house of prayer to al people. This is the large pro∣mise of the Holie-Ghost, which not only for the inward sense, but euen for the outward sound of the words doth so properly agree to euerie Religious per∣son, that we may spare to interprete it further,* 1.2 least (as S. Augustin sayth in a certaine place vpon the like occasion) 〈◊〉〈◊〉 dead the sauour of the Prophetical speach.

And what wonders is it, that God shewing his Prophets his Church, that was to come, should withal shew them so long-before the beautie of a Religious course, which is so noble a part of the Church?

2. First therefore the name of Strangers doth fitly sute with them;* 1.3 because they haue nothing in the world of their owne, but, as pilgrims, vse it as if they did not vse it; they haue no permanent cittie of abode, but seeke that which is to come; they adhere to our Lord, being fastned vnto him with the strong and indissoluble bond of their Vow; and are truly his seruants, and so stiled by al, because they liue continually in his seruice, and their glorie is, to be called as they are; they offer vnto him Holocausts and Sacrifices, and that often, because they offer themselues wholy; and they keepe his Sabbaoth, liuing, not lazily without profit to themselues or others, as the people of the world oftimes do, but a quiet and retired life ful of holines and deuotion, keeping holie-day from the works of the earth, and bestowing themselues wholy in the contemplation and loue of God.

3. Now why may not Religion be called also the House of Prayer,* 1.4 which God doth so much honour as to stile it His House; seing it requireth so much exercise of prayer, and affordeth so much commoditie of performing it, as it ought to be performed? For first Religion riddeth vs of al outward care not only of following husbandrie, or trading in marchandize and such like ne∣gotiations of greater consequence, but of those, which are of lesse note, as the care of household-busines, education of children, finally of al. These are the banes of Meditation and Contemplation, not only because they take vp al our time, but much more because they stirre vp so manie passions of anger, and feare, and sadnes, according to the seueral euents which happen. These

Passions partly disquiet our mind, that it can settle to nothing, and con∣sequently absolutly hinder Contemplation; partly they do so ouerwhelme it, that they dead our spirits, and suck-out al the iuyce, which is in vs.

For that,* 1.5 which Abbot Isaac (a great man) in Cassian doth deliuer, cannot be denyed: to wit, that to pray wel, it is necessarie vniuersally to cut-of al care of carnal things (for so he speaketh) Secondly, that we doe not only shot out care, but the verie memorie of al kind of busines; thirdly we must cut off al detraction, multiplicitie of idle words, and, aboue al, the passions of anger and sadnes; finally, vtterly roote-out the remaynder and occasion of auarice and carnal concupiscence.

Which if it be true, certainly the true exer∣cise of prayer is as rare in the world, as these hindrances and inconueniences are frequent in it; and contrariwise in Religion it is easie to practise it; because the state itself hath alreadie barred al these impediments.

* 1.64 Moreouer Chastitie and a single life is a great help to Prayer; which in reason euerie bodie may see to be true, and the Apostle sayth it, commending Virginitie and a single life; because (as he speaketh) it giues a man leaue to pray to our Lord without hindrance. The reason wherof among others, as I take it,* 1.7 is, because as our mind growes lumpish, and beareth alwayes downewards to base and earthlie things, by the vse of corporal pleasure: so by continencie it becomes light and quick, and able, as it were with certain wings, to life itself vp to God; the puritie, which is in itself, furthering the coniunction of it to that puritie,* 1.8 which is God. The humilitie also of so poore an estate, and so farre from al human glorie, is a special disposition to Prayer. For as we reade of our Sauiour, that in his life-time he louingly embraced the little ones, that were brought vnto him, and checked his Disciples that would haue forbidden them, saying: Let the little-ones come to me; for of such is the Kingdome of heauen.* 1.9 So we haue iust cause to think, that he practiseth the same now in heauen; and conuerseth familiarly with such as be little. For if he made so much demonstration of loue towards them, that had nothing humble in them, but the tendernes of their age, how much greater signes of loue wil he shew to them, that haue voluntarily humbled themselues, and brought themselues to that excesse of Pouertie and meane estate, which the Reli∣gious liue in? So that for these and manie other reasons there can be no doubt, but that Religion is the House of Prayer, that is, the most com∣modious, and most conuenient place that can be, to exercise our mind in prayer, and continue our thoughts in contemplation of heauenlie things.

* 1.105. Now to speake of the delight and pleasure, which is in this noble Exercise, God expresseth it in the words following: I wil make them ioyful in the house of my prayer. He makes himself the authour of this ioy, and truly he is so; because it proceedes from him, and is of him. It proceedes from him, because he infuseth it into our soules, the beames of his light shine vpon vs, his holines and his inspirations fal vpon our harts. It is of him, be∣cause there is nothing els before our eyes to cause this ioy; neither can so great ioy and contentment rise but of God. So that we find S. Bernard's saying to be true:* 1.11 By prayer we drink the wine that reioyceth the hart; the wine of spirit, which maketh vs drunk, and bringeth obliuion of

carnal pleasure; And S. Augustin's: The teares of them that pray, are sweeter then the ioyes of them that goe to playes.* 1.12 S. Francis was often wont to commend spiritual mirth and chearfulnes to his Religious, as a spe∣cial defence against the temptations of the Diuel;* 1.13 and sayd, that the ground of this chearfulnes was puritie of mind, and that it was to be purchased by good works, but chiefly by Prayer; and therefore whensoeuer we find a storme of sadnes come vpon vs, we should betake ourselues to prayer, as to a harbour or quiet hauen. And certainly if we find so much delight in con∣versing with men of learning and wisedome, that we can spend whole dayes with them to our great contentment and satisfaction; what shal we think of the communication and conuersation, which we may haue continually with the holie Angels, to whome we are so manie wayes obliged for their charitie & care ouer vs? or with the other Saints of Heauen, that know by experience, what it is to carrie this burden of flesh with which we are loaded? or with the Queene of Saints and Angels, then whome vnder God there is nothing in this world more beautiful, nothing that thought or affection can fixe itself vpon, with more delight and sweetnes?

6. What shal I say of GOD himself? First, the infinitnes of his Nature,* 1.14 his endlesse Goodnes, Power, and al things of excessiue perfection conteyned in it, affordeth a Soule a boundles scope to walk in; and walking without end, it cannot but be absorpt in a bottomlesse deapth of delight. From thence againe reflecting vpon the consideration of the benefits, which God hath powred forth vpon vs, either out of the superabundant bountie of his loue and good wil, or out of the natural inclination, as I may say, which he hath to liberalitie; and much more vpon those, in which so great a Maiestie hath taken so much paynes for our sakes; calling to mind his sorrowes, his torments, the manger, his pouertie, his whipping, his crowne of thornes, his Crosse, and pondering euerie thing with attention, and seazing vpon them in contempla∣tion, as vpon an infinit treasure of wealth and riches now belonging to our∣selues, and made to our vse; what ioy, what gladnes, what contentment must a Soule needes take in it? This causeth a fountain of teares to gush forth from our eyes, this melts vs into a most sweet veyne of weeping, this maketh our hart to leape for ioy within vs, and diffuseth itself to our verie flesh; beholding such infinit testimonies of the Diuine loue towards vs, which of itself is enough to rauish vs with delight; and againe tasting so manie wayes of the fruits of this loue, by his heauenlie care and prouidence ouer vs, grace in this life, and assured hope of eternal blisse in the life to come. And though we lay aside the consideration of the profit, which comes vnto vs, the verie approaching to God by prayer and communication with him, is a thing of another world. For as they, that come neare the fire, grow warme by the heat of it, and whatsoeuer is mingled with honie, doth taste of the sweetnes of honie; so whosoeuer conioyneth himself with God, and, as I may say, plungeth himself into the fountain of al goodnes and happines, must needes by in great measure happie; as we reade in the holie Scripture, that Moyses by the communication,* 1.15 which he held with God, receaued so much light inwardly in his mind, that it was seen in his face, as two hornes in his forehead.

7. These be the incomparable delights and daynties, which the seruants of God enioy, and the dailie food where with they are fatned; that we may not wonder, if ful of this spiritual marrow and fatnes, they be so strong and able, and compasse so great works in matter of vertue and the seruice of God, with ease.* 1.16 This enabled S. Antonie so farre, that, as it is recorded of him, oftentimes beginning his prayer at the shutting-in of the euening, he was found at break-of-day in the same posture; complayning of the light, that it rose too early. We reade almost the same of Arsenius,* 1.17 that setting himself to his prayer in the euening, and leauing the sunne behind him going downe, neuer stirred til in the morning the sunne shined againe in his face.* 1.18 Syluanus was euer wont to keepe his eyes shut, after he had been long at his prayers, that coming, as be sayd, from the wonderful sight of heauenlie things, he might not be troubled with the deformitie of earthlie obiects.* 1.19 What shal we say of S. Francis, who was sometimes lifted vp from the ground to a man's height, sometimes as high as the tops of trees, often also as high as the clowdes? Or of others without number, whose extasies, and rapts, and long prayers are ful of such like mi∣racles? Of which kind we might find plentie in our dayes, if it were not from our purpose to stand rehearsing them al. And we that are of the manie, and cannot looke for such extraordinarie fauours at God's hands, yet in the verie mediocritie, which he is pleased to imparte vnto vs, find so much sweetnes, that the little,* 1.20 which we enioy, is desireful aboue gold and precious stone, and sweetes then home and the home-combe.

Notes

• * 1.1

  E••s. 56.6.
• * 1.2

  S. Augustin 18. de Ciuit. c. 28.
• * 1.3

  Religious people strangers in thi•• world.
• * 1.4

  Religion the House of prayer.
• * 1.5

  〈…〉〈…〉 9. c. 3.
• * 1.6

  Other helps of Prayer: as, Chastitie.
• * 1.7

  1. Cor. 7.35.
• * 1.8

  Humilitie & Pouertie.
• * 1.9

  Matth. 19.141
• * 1.10

  The de∣light which comes of Prayer.
• * 1.11

  S Bernard s••r 18 in Cant.
• * 1.12

  S. Augustin in Ps. 12••.
• * 1.13

  S. Francis.
• * 1.14

  The de∣light, which is in thinking of God.
• * 1.15

  Ex. 34.15.
• * 1.16

  S. Antonie.
• * 1.17

  Arsenius.
• * 1.18

  Sy••uanus.
• * 1.19

  S Francis.
• * 1.20

  Ps. 1••.11.